The Centre for Policy Dialogue compiled previous NBR data and has inferred that this is the lowest first quarter revenue collection since fiscal 2009-10.
Published in The Daily Star on Wednesday, 28 October 2015.
Muhith unhappy over poor tax collection
Star Business Report
Finance Minister AMA Muhith yesterday expressed his dissatisfaction over the sluggish growth of revenue collection in the July-September quarter, a damper for the government’s high expenditure needs.
The National Board of Revenue earned Tk 30,905 crore in revenues for the July-September period of fiscal 2015-16, up 9.5 percent year-on-year.
“It [tax collection] has been the worst in my tenure. This is unfortunate,” Muhith told reporters after a meeting with NBR Chairman Md Nojibur Rahman at his office yesterday.
“I am very unhappy about it, so my demand is the highest from this fiscal year.”
The Centre for Policy Dialogue compiled previous NBR data and has inferred that this is the lowest first quarter revenue collection since fiscal 2009-10.
Muhith, citing his meeting with the NBR chairman, said he directed Rahman to give the highest priority to revenue collection.
“The chairman himself has to work for it. He should pay greater attention to this subject of collection. That’s it,” the finance minister said.
He, however, said he is not worried about the overall revenue collection. “I hope it will recover.”
On reasons behind the low collection growth, Muhith said: “It appears to me that it has something to do with change of the leadership and functionaries. Perhaps, it has some impact.”
He said Rahman has to establish rapport within the NBR, which is yet to take place, and quell the sense of unease prevailing.